jarichan's review against another edition
4.0
Dieses Buck weckt Lust auf Äpfel. Während des Lesens kam ich nicht umhin, ständig an einem zu knabbern.
Im Übrigen war ich überrascht, wie sehr mich diese Geschichte in ihren Bann gezogen hat. Tracy Chevalier habe ich immer als Autorin mit eher emotionaler Zielgruppe verstanden, zu der ich absolut nicht gehöre. Tja, falsch gedacht.
Ich bin abgetaucht in diese Familiengeschichte, die uns die Zeit der Siedler in Amerika näher bringt. Und das Leben der Bäume, das im Alltag viel zu schnell in Vergessenheit gerät. Doch Bäume und Äpfel sind nicht nur Auslöser, sondern auch starke Symbole für die Familie und das Leben.
Im Übrigen war ich überrascht, wie sehr mich diese Geschichte in ihren Bann gezogen hat. Tracy Chevalier habe ich immer als Autorin mit eher emotionaler Zielgruppe verstanden, zu der ich absolut nicht gehöre. Tja, falsch gedacht.
Ich bin abgetaucht in diese Familiengeschichte, die uns die Zeit der Siedler in Amerika näher bringt. Und das Leben der Bäume, das im Alltag viel zu schnell in Vergessenheit gerät. Doch Bäume und Äpfel sind nicht nur Auslöser, sondern auch starke Symbole für die Familie und das Leben.
redewhurst's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
zoe_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
I… don’t know. There was a lot that I liked but I felt quite detached from the characters and their plights. Maybe this is not super surprising because it’s almost a multi-generational family story (I rarely like those) but I believe I should habe liked this book better because of the trees alone.
lyellboi's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
In the mid-1800s James Goodenough moves his wife Sadie and young family west in search of some land to cultivate. Settling in the Black Swamp in Ohio the family is wracked by the swamp fever and James and Sadie's relationship spirals downhill over her drinking and his obsession with sweet eating apples. Following a tragedy their son Robert works his way west, trying to escape the past, unable to settle. Robert shares his father's love of plants and falls into working as a seed collector, drawn to the giant trees of California. However when his past and present collide Robert realises that maybe he can't carry on running west on his own.
Tracy Chevalier is a novelist who is at her peak, she has developed a wonderful style of writing which is both evocative but also tells a tale which, like gossamer, wafts in and out of a narrative. Written from several perspectives the intertwined histories of the Goodenoughs lead to a plot that is Shakespearian in it's tragedy and yet completely redemptive at the end. I wish I could have read it more slowly to enjoy the prose but I was so engrossed I wanted to know what happened next - the mark of a truly wonderful book.
Tracy Chevalier is a novelist who is at her peak, she has developed a wonderful style of writing which is both evocative but also tells a tale which, like gossamer, wafts in and out of a narrative. Written from several perspectives the intertwined histories of the Goodenoughs lead to a plot that is Shakespearian in it's tragedy and yet completely redemptive at the end. I wish I could have read it more slowly to enjoy the prose but I was so engrossed I wanted to know what happened next - the mark of a truly wonderful book.
thesarahstory's review against another edition
4.0
Ein wirklich unglaubliches Buch, welches mich so intensiven Charakteren aufwartet, wie man sie selten in einer Geschichte bekommen hat. Atmosphärisch sehr dicht, das Leben in einer noch schwierigen und anderen Zeit, als die unsere und dazu vielseitige Charakterzüge, die Sympathie wie starke Antipathie im Leser auslösen. Ein starkes Buch, das Fragen aufwirft und zum Nachdenken anregt. Besonders über die eigene Moral, der Wunsch irgendwo anzukommen und ein Zuhause zu finden. In dir und in anderen Personen oder in einer Leidenschaft. Unglaublich lesenswert.
jtlars7's review against another edition
I usually love Tracy Chevalier's books, but I didn't enjoy this one as much as most of her others. It was well done, but it was hard to overcome my dislike for key characters and the darkness of the story to truly enjoy the reading, as much as I needed to know how it would end.
mcsayegh's review against another edition
3.0
Apples, trees, frontier life, Sierra foothills, plus characters you absolutely wanted to throttle. I like Chevalier's writing, worth the read.